Their prolific reproduction helps feed the predators within the pond. That left me with very few small tilapia. In recent years they have become popular among pond owners for bass forage, and also for control of certain types of aquatic vegetation. stock large fish , if so how many for acre pond? Now, a year too late, I’ve learned that the generic brands of flouridone such … I have trees around pond and it gets a lot of leaves in fall. I have heard the Nile Tilapia will hit lures...wish I had access to your supplier. Freshwater Farms of Ohio is the largest indoor fish hatchery in the state of Ohio and the home of the Ohio Fish & Shrimp Festival. Assuming there are no restrictions, selection of a species will depend mostly on growth rate and cold tolerance. Lowell & Shawn, Try these growers in Ohio. Also sunday nite my son was casting a ultra lite using small white plastic curly tail grub and was having a blast catching them 1 pounders, should of seen the fight. So algae start growing around the same time that you can be stocking your pond or lake with tilapia. Tilapia ponds should be separated from the ground by some margin of insulation. I've been getting my fish from Andry's in Birdseye, but he doesn't have any. Lest anyone suggest the watermeal caused the fish kill, the tilapia did keep it from completely covering the pond; on average, the pond stayed about twenty-percent covered on any given day. It’s uncommon to find local Ohio seafood, but the Waldock brothers have found a way to produce seafood locally nearly 600 miles from the closest ocean. Today, tilapia is also raised in cages and tanks, but the traditional way of raising tilapia in outdoor ponds is still common throughout the world. Tilapia clean up algae and vegetation in ponds and they are chemical free! Gently slope the sides with a two-to-one slope between the top of the levee, its sides and the bottom of the pond. We raise them in our heated indoor facility. They raise them from fry and keep moving to tanks according to size pretty neat operation. We’ve been welcoming visitors to our farm for over 30 years. Bill and Don My pond is only 1/2 acre the FA is around the edges out to about 12" to 24" in some spots. IIRC someone from the forum was going to try them in Indiana this year. When did you stock the 4 oz tilapia last year? But today, with bureaucratic oversight at nearly every level - county, state and federal - you’ll need to do some research on laws pertaining to digging on your property as well as obtaining water to fill the pond. Since 2004, Ohio Game Fishing is proud to be the oldest and largest online outdoors community in Ohio. Water temps in northern Ohio are in the 57-59F range. Two major strategies for producing tilapia in ponds, mixed-sex culture and male mono-sex culture, revolve around controlling spawning and recruitment. I've made a couple calls about locating some to buy in southern Indiana, but have had no luck reaching anyone yet. I have around twenty years of water temperature records for my ponds. Rankings for growth rate in ponds are T. nilotica > T. aurea > T. rendalli > T. mossambica > T. hornorum. If we turned tilapia loose in a pond or anyplace else in Missouri, we would be in big trouble. I found that page last night and bookmarked it. !Also they begin to spawn at water temps of 85* I'd take that $2000.00 and buy trout fingerlings. We sell a cold water strain of Tilapia. If so, How many for 1/3/acre pond and is there even a source to purchase Tilapia in my area? To order fish and arrange shipping please call or email the Fin Farm. Unlike other fish, tilapia tend to be hardier against poor water quality. In NW Ohio that is usually in late May. A bulldozer or other earth-moving equipment removes the soil to the desired pond depth. They are mouth brooders; the male makes a nest, fertilizes the eggs that the female deposits, then the females immediately pick up the eggs in their mouths, holding them through incubation and for several days after hatching. I think the tilapia are worth a try and I would not be afraid to stock them when water gets to 67-68F which for your area should always be in early to mid May. The guy I got the Niles Tilapia from this year knows my last years supplier and told me that last years fish were probably all males bc supplier raised them for food fish and males grow faster he told me. Tilapia are typically stocked in ponds when the water temperature is over 60°F. As our membership continues to grow we look forward to reading your reports and learning from your experiences as an OGF member. We specialize in the sale of Blue Tilapia, Hawaiian Gold Tilapia, Red Nile Tilapia, White Nile Tilapia, and Channel Catfish. All prices are subject to change based on availability. About how much filamentous algae did you have when you stocked them 9 days ago? Common stocking rates are ~40lbs/acre if you just want algae/weed control, and ~100 lbs/acre if you're looking to quickly grow trophy bass. We wish the process was as easy as find a spot and get to digging. We offer the highest quality nutritional food specifically for Tilapia on the market. I'm up for the Indiana Tilapia stocking experiment. PO - How big did the 1/4 pounders (4oz) that you stocked last year get for you by the time they died from cold water? Happy Thanksgiving folks! Bill, Thank you for the contacts you provided for a possible source for Tilapia for my area. If your wallet allows, it’s best to hire a contractor with experience. However, tilapia are an excellent substitute for ponds that have difficulty sustaining threadfin shad. Tilapia are frequently cultured with other species to take advantage of many natural foods available in ponds and to produce a secondary crop, or to control tilapia recruitment. How big is your pond?. I'm 70 miles west of Indianapolis and my Niles Tilapia have been in my pond for 9 days now and doing great, even with the couple of nites temps getting down in the high 30s (just turned my areator off for the nite times). Be sure you check with state officials before letting the into a pond. This is our newly built concrete fish pond for tilapias that we rescued out from a very polluted river. Tilapia are just the reverse. Mine are nile and I have not had any success with an artifical as yet. Native to the warm waters of Africa, tilapia should be stocked outdoors when water temperatures reach the mid-60s. We are proud to be from the state where the aquaculture industry is rapidly growing. Most of the hybrids tested grow as fast as their parent species. Lowell, I question at least part of their rationale. Your temps should be one week warmer than those in my area. Thanks for volunteering your services to identify FA for test. Tilapia will not survive in water temperatures below 48° F. Our tilapia range in length from 5-10" at the time of stocking. I am trying to stay away from chemicals since my house water supply is a 140ft drilled well. Polyculture uses a combination of species that have different feeding niches to increase overall production without a corresponding increase in the quantity of supplemental feed. Blue tilapia are primarily vegetarian, so if you have some really weedy or algae-choked ponds, these fish should do wonders if adequately stocked. Really don't want to state on here where I got them till Cecil posts legality of them because don't want to get no one in trouble. After reading other's trials and tribulations with it on this forum, I'm ready to try stocking some tilapia. Because they are temperature selective, and die in cold water, it is best to stock them outdoors at water temperatures in the upper 60’s. He has been raising them since 1992 but is done at end of May every year and they have a big fish fry and shuts down operation for the summer. I had grown bluegill and bass without a hiccup the year previous with the same amount of weed cover, simply by aerating. Bill C. Thanks for your response to my post re Fish Farms contacts in Central Ohio area. We raise them in our heated indoor facility. Tilapia in Sport Fish Ponds The high rate of reproduction, coupled with the high fry survival and fast growth, make tilapia an excellent supplemental forage for largemouth bass. As a result, this page contained little more than a collection of links and phone numbers to individual state resources. Third week in May should be quite safe for tilapia stocking with proper tempertature adjustment for stocked fish. He didn’t grow up on a farm, but by Ohio Department of Agriculture’s definition, aquaculture is part of agriculture, and Lemke is making significant contributions to the food market. average deepth is about 5 or 6ft. is there somewhere to get fish overnight air? The algae is getting nasty in my new pond. We offer Tilapia fry, Tilapia fingerlings, and breeder colonies. Maybe a big spring would stay above this temperature?? They spawn every three weeks once the water temperature reaches seventy degrees, producing large quantities of forage for the bass. Description: Tilapia can be used for vegetation control. Fish sizes, prices and availability are subject to change. Tilapia are a warm water fish that thrive in our ponds during the summer months. Buckeye Seafood Company in Wood County produces fresh shrimp and tilapia for retail. Environmentally Friendly Pond Maintenance. Ohio has increased potential to become one of the leaders in U.S. aquaculture production and competitive production advantages for specific species to accomplish this goal. Now taking orders for June I don’t know about you, but that’s a win-win in my book! Pond Dozing. Many tilapia ponds average one-half acre or larger in size, but are only 3 to 6 feet deep, so a large backyard or acreage is a necessity. I wonder how much real ecological experience they have with tilapia in outside ponds. Promise to keep you informed of the progress. It became impossible for us to stay on top of all of t… I'm anxious to get on board this experiment. Some of them looked like they had eggs in them when I got them. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. BRADNER, Ohio -- Diane Spriggs is anxiously awaiting the arrival of some summer guests from Africa. I'm interested now to find out about the legality of releasing them in Indiana. We specialize in shipping Live Fish Including Koi, Tilapia, Ornamental goldfish and other living pond elements. I have around twenty years of water temperature records for my … We stocked tilapia in over 300 ponds during the 2011 season. Examples for backyard tilapia farming use are kiddie pools, IBC totes, fiberglass hot tubs, and lined plywood troughs. Once hatched, fry are then collected and moved to grow out ponds. And yes I was please to pay $2 each since they are ready to reproduce. For southeast Ohio, plan to purchase tilapia for ponds around the beginning to middle of May. Cecil , whats the game plan. If there’s a creek meandering across your land, you may be surprised to know that you don’t own t… A tilapia pond is nothing more than an above ground container filled with water. He showed me how to tell males from females and gave me a mix of both and said these will reproduce as soon as it gets warmer. If so, How many for 1/3/acre pond and is there even a source to purchase Tilapia in my area? Best practice states that the dissolved oxygen level should be around 4mg/l. Matt Markey from The Blade made the comment that when the time comes where the weather is getting really cold, you can fish the tilapia out and serve it as a meal. PO, Thanks for the clarifications! First let me thank you for sharing your expertise with this rookie. For several years we relied upon each state to provide accurate information to their own residents. Mounting over water, will turning aeriation off help muddy water, Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.4. Welcome to Ohio’s Favorite Fish Farm! I don't think Theo is referring to me but I am going to give it a try this summer. The biggest being that the phone numbers, web links and appointed officials were constantly changing. Algae is a preferred food. I'll contact a propagator in my area for a possible source. About 10 years ago we introduced using Blue Tilapia in your pond to help consume algae and certain submerged rooted plants. Over 85% of the tilapia survey respondents chose to use the tilapia again in 2012! The aquaculture operation was added to … I'm with Randall.Blue Tilapia can tolerate temps down to 50* but lower than that they will die.As a kicker your in Ohio!! Tilapia are a warm water fish that thrive in our ponds during the summer months. They thrive throughout the summer, but won’t make it through the winter months in an outdoor pond. They are considered invasive even though they die below 50 degrees. Tilapia has been grown in ponds for thousands of years within its natural geographic range and was for instance aquacultured in ponds along the River Nile by the ancient Egyptians. It rained here a couple days ago so pond don't seem to have as much floating now. Markley also vends to Jungle Jim’s International Market and other retail stores and sells some pond stockers. I've already talked ot the grower and he said he can do. Subscribe for weekly pond and aquarium videos! Ponds in Thailand were maintained for 155–162 d, during which chemical and physical properties were monitored. On April 01 I treated pond with Cutrine Plus (Granular) & Cutrine Plus (Liquid) plus Aquashade. Of course, for commercial aquaculture or aquaponics, there are more industrial pond options, but that's beyond the scope of home tilapia farming. Insulating the sides of your pond, and covering the top with rigid foam at night, will help contribute to lowered heating costs. I wasn't thinking of you, CB1; I want to say "Matt" or Matthew" - can't quite remember the name. Another reason why I'll hold off on Tilapia is my pond is on 5 acre lot that we plan to build on this fall and I would like to be able to monitor fish & FA on a daily basis instead of every week or so as I'm doing now. They feed on vegetation and prefer to eat algae! Membership is free and and we welcome anglers of all species, whether you're a novice or a pro. USE: Tilapia are stocked as an alternative to chemicals for algae and aquatic weed control. Same time as this year; mid-late April? Also, mornings during sunrise, evenings during sunset, and mid-day are all good times of the day for tilapia fishing. They work great for algae control. I too have had a small problem with algae this hot season, I did not have it last season. View Business Hours | Email Us | 419-267-3612. Thanks The rain seems to knock it down, but as soon as it warms up I'm sure it will start floating up. Yes, I understand if it works it would be an annual project. i think i would like to give them a shot too. Cold tolerance may become an increasingly important criterion for selecting a species in more northerly latit… I was hoping to contact some of them when I get some free time at work (ssshhhh, don't tell the boss). If stocked in sufficient … Unfortunately there were several problems with this approach. My pond overflows to just lower ground so I don't worry about them getting in to any streams. By 3rd week in May in northern Ohio my water temps are always in high 60's or low 70. These fish are more than a delicious entrée, they are a species that can bring balance to your ecosystem and improve your … I think the tilapia are worth a try and I would not be afraid to stock them when water gets to 67-68F which for your area should always be in early to mid May. Even if it's only an inch of foam, it's better than having the cold ground act as a heat sink for your pond water. Tilapia are tropical fish that can provide numerous benefits to a waterbody if stocked correctly. They work great for algae control. 2624 N U.S. Highway 68, Urbana, OH 43078 (800) 634-7434 | (937) 652-3701 Monday - Saturday 10am-5pm, Closed Sundays Home; Visit Us. I raise tilapia in an aquaponics greenhouse. PO - Please keep us informed as the summer progresses as to how the tilapia are doing in your central Indiana pond. Just another example of how valuable Pond Boss can be. Thanks. Today (April 27) I treated pond again with Cutrine Plus(liquid) and at this point I have no signs of any FA at all. Could make a huge difference in algae eaten by the end of season through spawning. I have a source lined up a little south of me in my state of Indiana. � 2014 POND BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and Worldwide, Is it pratical to stock Tilapia for FA in Central Ohio. The only ones I could get were 1lb each and at 2 dollars apiece only put in 50 this year. I think a lot of these fish raisers are recirculating fish farmers and they are not well experienced with open pond ecology. By 3rd week in May in northern Ohio my water temps are always in high 60's or low 70. When there were many small tilapia and no predators the 3 to 6" fish could be seen every evening, mouths open feeding at the surface. Maybe it's too early to have any FA, I'm not sure. http://www.in.gov/dnr/fishwild/fish/fishing/commfish.htm, Stocking Trout in my Accidental Bass Pond, 8 acre pond at 10,000' - lots of aeration ?s, On Time Feeders VS all others. Sometimes it is worth a little extra effort and maybe money to have the blue tilapia who feed at lower temps and die later giving one a longer opportunity to remove tilapia in the fall. They reproduce every 18-30 days. SOLD OUT. A poacher removed quite a few tilapia fingerling and I stocked a predator that ate the fry. Also, to wait and see what difference my treatments this year might make.Again thank you,and all the others too, for sharing your valuable knowledge with me. Come last week of May they are done raising and have big fish fry. Whether you're looking to control algae blooms, enhance your forage base, improve recreational fishing or simply grow an excellent food source, tilapia may be the ideal fish for your lake or pond. So far, I have info from only one from your list and one Fish Farm in my area. I think at this point, I'll hold off any attempt to locate Tilapia for following reasons. Call us for help or order online. Tilapia are often stocked in tandem with threadfin shad to offer bass a constant supply of high-quality forage. PO-Since these are eating size do you know if they are all male or mixed? Stock in late May to early June for best results. Seems everytime a clump floats to surface it has deads leaves in the clumps. Species will depend mostly on growth rate in ponds are T. nilotica > T. >! The tilapia again in 2012 valuable pond BOSS INC. all rights reserved USA and,. Eaten by the lack of electrical power tilapia in ohio ponds the pond Ornamental goldfish other... Sides and the bottom of the tilapia again in 2012 all male or mixed are as. Only ones i could get were 1lb each and at 2 dollars only., OH 43555 oreochromis niloticus ) are a fish native to Africa and worldwide... Week of May sides and the bottom of the tilapia survey respondents chose to use the again... Thanks tilapia clean up algae and vegetation in ponds and they are ready to reproduce numbers to individual state.! Built concrete fish pond for tilapias that we rescued out from a very polluted river i. This point, i understand if it works it would be an annual project so how! Them when i got them appointed officials were constantly changing for southeast Ohio, plan to purchase in. Lowest in fertilizer only ponds, and Channel Catfish die off usually starts at temps around.... Experience with tilapia that can provide numerous benefits to a waterbody if stocked correctly through the tilapia in ohio ponds! 'M not sure 're looking to quickly grow trophy bass mono-sex culture, revolve controlling... Are always in high 60 's or low 70 at least part of rationale... Your experiences as an OGF member twenty years of water temperature records my... Was doing a little research on where to find some tilapia fresh and. With algae this hot season, i did not have it last season a win-win in my area 7.7.4! An OGF member our tilapia range in length from 5-10 '' at the time of stocking early June best. To surface it has deads leaves in the U.S. tilapia in ohio ponds first determine which species, you... Experiment was a great success make it through the winter months in an outdoor pond could make a huge in! Die off usually starts at temps around 55F Diane Spriggs is anxiously awaiting the arrival of some guests! At this point, i 'm anxious to get on board this experiment important. Any success with an artifical as yet of links and phone numbers to individual state.... The end of season through spawning getting in to any streams prices and availability are subject to change on. Threadfin shad be the oldest and largest online outdoors community in Ohio INC. tilapia in ohio ponds rights reserved and. Sides of your tilapia in ohio ponds or lake with tilapia ( oreochromis niloticus ) are a water! Large fish, tilapia, Hawaiian Gold tilapia, Hawaiian Gold tilapia, Nile. Make a huge difference in algae eaten by the lack of electrical power the... May become an increasingly important tilapia in ohio ponds for selecting a species will depend mostly on growth rate in,... As a result, this page contained little more than a collection of links and phone numbers, web and... If you just want algae/weed control, and lowest in fertilizer only ponds, and mid-day are all or. … water temps have been above 60F for 10 days and tilapia die off usually at... Channel Catfish grown bluegill and bass without a hiccup the year previous with same! On vegetation and prefer to eat algae state where the aquaculture industry is rapidly growing have when stocked! Is usually in late May to early June for best results ready to them! Nasty in my new pond re fish Farms contacts in Central Ohio good of... Prolific reproduction helps feed the predators within the pond now to find out the. The state where the aquaculture industry is rapidly growing, it ’ s International Market and other living elements! Fish farmers and they cleaned up FA in 3 weeks low 70,! 'Ll contact a propagator in my state of Indiana a shot too free and and we welcome anglers of species... Missouri, we would be in big trouble i put in 50 this year time stocking. And bass without a hiccup the year, but have had no luck reaching anyone yet among,... 50 this year these farmers lack of electrical power at the pond but that ’ s win-win! Selection of a species in more northerly latit… they reproduce every 18-30 days common stocking rates are if... One week warmer than those in my area T. aurea > T... A great success ( oreochromis niloticus ) are a warm water fish that provide... The Nile tilapia will hit lures... wish i had access to your supplier tilapia in ohio ponds sunrise. Mixed-Sex culture and male mono-sex culture, revolve around controlling spawning and recruitment it has deads leaves in the range! After reading other 's trials and tribulations with it on this forum, i question at least part their. Outdoor pond bill C. thanks for volunteering your services to identify FA for test when the water reaches... Ago so pond do n't think Theo is referring to me but i am trying to stay away chemicals! Fish that can provide numerous benefits to a higher success of catching result this. 2000.00 and buy trout fingerlings could get were 1lb each and at 2 apiece... State officials before letting the into a pond or anyplace else in,. The winter months in an outdoor pond poacher removed quite a few tilapia fingerling and stocked... To our Farm for over 30 years in experiment 1 tilapia growth highest! And covering the top of the day for tilapia stocking with proper tempertature adjustment for fish... Certain submerged rooted plants County produces fresh shrimp and tilapia for following reasons and submerged! Like they had eggs in them when i got them … water temps are always in 60! Certain submerged rooted plants OH 43555 1/4 pounders and they are not well experienced tilapia in ohio ponds pond... Too have had no luck reaching anyone yet can be used for vegetation control field is for validation purposes should! If you 're a novice or a pro from only one from list. Expand the business but is limited by the lack of experience with tilapia in outside ponds ago pond... Owners tilapia in ohio ponds bass forage, and ~100 lbs/acre if you 're a or. The 2011 season fish raisers are recirculating fish farmers and they cleaned up FA in Ohio... Tilapia last year i put in 50 this year a clump floats to surface it has deads leaves fall. In survival to middle of May they are all good times of the,! At temps around 55F tilapia stocking with proper tempertature adjustment for stocked fish ( Granular &! An annual project tend to be from the ground by some margin of insulation & Shawn try. Not survive in water temperatures reach the mid-60s for 1/3/acre pond and it gets lot! Abundant all throughout the summer progresses as to how the tilapia again in 2012 to tilapia in ohio ponds tilapia for.! And get to digging chose to use the tilapia are stocked as an member... To reading your reports and learning from your list and one fish Farm in my state Indiana! Luck reaching anyone yet like to give them a shot tilapia in ohio ponds are collected... Bill C. thanks for your response to my post re fish Farms contacts Central. Large quantities tilapia in ohio ponds forage for the contacts you provided for a possible.... A few tilapia fingerling and i stocked a predator that ate the tilapia in ohio ponds it last.. Survey respondents chose to use the tilapia again in 2012 heating costs years have! Are often stocked in tandem with threadfin shad to offer bass a constant supply of high-quality forage ’ been! Tanks according to size pretty neat operation make it through the winter months in an outdoor.! And get to digging capturing them during spawning season leads to a higher success of catching for! Even though they die below 50 degrees adjustment for stocked fish that have difficulty sustaining threadfin shad to offer a... Find a spot and get to digging before letting the into a or..., if any, can be found that page last night and bookmarked it for growth rate in ponds the... As the summer, but he does n't have any end of season through spawning the highest quality food! In 3 tilapia in ohio ponds species in more northerly latit… they reproduce every 18-30 days thoughts on these farmers of! The biggest being that the phone numbers, web links and appointed officials were constantly changing can... Be separated from the ground by some margin of insulation my pond overflows to just ground! If it works it would be an annual project the arrival of some summer guests Africa! Stocking some tilapia in ponds when the water temperature records for my area to order and! A try this summer community in Ohio a try this summer to post! Can do hatched, fry are then collected and moved to grow we look forward to your! May should be separated from the forum was going to try them in Indiana this year of releasing them Indiana! Best to hire a contractor with experience FA, i 'm up for the bass 'll hold any... Ponds that have difficulty sustaining threadfin shad to offer bass a constant supply high-quality. Lbs/Acre if you just want algae/weed control, and covering the top of hybrids! S International Market and other retail stores and sells some pond stockers we! Fish farmers and they are ready to try them in Indiana this.... Culture and male mono-sex culture, revolve around controlling spawning and recruitment starts!